Susan hadn't forgotten Christine's wild talk earlier that day. She followed her son into the study.
"Neil, what's wrong with your wife? She actually said she wanted a divorce today? Has she lost her mind?"
Mentioning this stirred a wave of irritation in Neil. The message he'd sent Christine earlier had gone unanswered. In their three years of marriage, they had never encountered a situation like today's.
He also wanted to know whether she had lost her mind.
Seeing his silence, Susan continued her tirade. "Once this banquet is over, you should just divorce her. Three years, and there's no movement in her stomach-what good is a wife like that?"
"Mom, mind your own business when it comes to Christine and me," Neil said impatiently.
Susan pursed her lips. "Do you think I want to meddle? You're twenty-six-not exactly young! Mrs. Everett already has two grandchildren!"
"I know, Mom. I still have work to attend to."
After dismissing his mother, Neil massaged his temples. Little did he know, the study door was knocked on once more.
Sofia peeked her head in. "Bro, are you busy?"
Neil's tone was less than pleasant. "Yeah. What is it?"
"Where's Christine?" Sofia probed.
The post she'd shared on her social feed last night had been deliberately meant for Christine to see.
How could Christine ever compare to Vivian? In her heart, there was only one sister-in-law-Vivian.
Sofia was determined to drive her crazy.
"At the hospital." Everyone kept asking the same question, and Neil was thoroughly annoyed.
Sofia blinked innocently. "Oh. Bro, now that Vivian is back, aren't you considering divorcing Christine?"
"Nonsense!" Neil frowned.
Had he ever considered divorce? Not until Christine brought it up. Even with Vivian back, divorce hadn't crossed his mind.
Though he had loved Vivian for many years, he had to admit that in the role of wife, she might not necessarily be better than Christine.
Vivian needed to be cherished and pampered, while Christine was more inclined to give.
His face tightened as he lectured her. "I know you like Vivian, but don't say things like that in front of Christine."
"Oh," Sofia replied reluctantly.
Once the room was completely quiet, Neil pressed the call button again.
In the past, whenever he called Christine, she would answer by the third ring. But today, by the sixth ring, the line went dead.
Had she not seen it?
******
Christine had just finished eating. Seeing the name flashing on her screen, she pressed reject without hesitation.
The doctor had advised her to eat light meals and chew slowly. She wasn't about to let anyone disturb her peace while dining.
After deciding to divorce, she realized that living solely for herself felt the most liberating.
When the missed call count reached five, she wiped her lips and answered slowly.
"Christine, didn't you see my calls?"
"I saw them," Christine sneered coldly. "If not, do you think it's a ghost answering your phone?"
The words struck Neil like a blow to the chest. He lowered his voice. "The private dinner at the Watson family this weekend-you're accompanying me."
Christine couldn't help but laugh. "Neil, have you lost your memory? I told you yesterday-we're getting divorced. Divorce. Do you even understand what that means?"
"You really want a divorce? You don't care about your brother or your mother anymore?" Neil snapped.
Her mother lived in an apartment still registered under his name, and her brother's annual tuition at the international school wasn't cheap either.
"Is this your way of threatening me?" Christine laughed softly. "Neil, when I married you, my father fed you those projects. They weren't worth just a few years of James's tuition, were they?"
"Let's part ways amicably. If we tear each other apart, it won't be pretty."
Neil took a deep breath. "What will it take for you to go?"
Christine's lips curved slightly. "I'll send you an account number shortly. Transfer five hundred thousand dollars, clearly marked as a voluntary gift."
Neil gritted his teeth. "Fine."
When the transaction confirmation text arrived, Christine smiled faintly.
She wasn't sure how much security she could secure, but for now, every little bit counted.
What she demanded was only fair. After she and Neil got together, her father had provided substantial support to the Caffrey family. Otherwise, the Caffreys would have remained little more than nouveau riche in New York.
Besides, she still needed to gather more damning evidence.
When Christine realized her deep affection had been wasted, her pride wouldn't let her linger in this mess.
After the divorce, she would return to the workforce. She believed her best days were yet to come.
*****
Stone and Sterling Law Firm
Henry was at a loss for words. "Mr. Robinson, what brings you here again?"
Ever since that day, the man had been showing up at his office daily.
Edward curved his lips. "Can't I even sit down?"
Henry set down his pen and shot him a disapproving look. "Don't tell me you're not here to pry into whether Miss Woods came to the firm that day?"
Edward raised an eyebrow. "I dare. So-did she come or not?"
"No, she didn't. It's only been a few days. We have to give her time to gather evidence."
"Oh." Edward stood up and smoothed his collar. "Then I'll come back tomorrow."
"Wait," Henry interjected. "The day after tomorrow is the Watson family's private banquet. Will you be attending?"
Edward's narrowed eyes crinkled slightly. "Depends on my mood. If I'm feeling good, I might go."
